Improvement in car-starters



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J. s. VAN PELLJr.

CAR STARTER.

No. 190,101, Patented Apr124,1877.

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ssheets-sneiz. J'. S. VAN FELT, Jr.

' CAR STARTER.

No. 190,101. Patennea Apri124,1e77.

Wag/uffa] 63. @fama/wb as11eets-s11eete.. J'. S. VAN PELT, Jr.

CAR STARTER.

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NITD STATES JOHN S. VAN PELT, JR., OF EVERGREEN, VIRGINIA, ASSIGNOR OF 'ONE-HALF HIS RIGHT'TO ARTHUR HASWELL GREENE, OF BROOKLYN, NEW YORK.

IMPROVVEM ENT IN C'AR-STARTERS.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. 190,101, dated April 24, 187 7 application filed February 22, 1877.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, JOHN SERENo VAN BELT, Jr., of Evergreen, in the county of Prince George and State of Virginia, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Oar-Starters, of which the following is a specification My invention relates'to that class of carstarters in which a spring is employed as a motive power,to assist the horse or horses to overcome the dead Weight of a car, and is ap-v plicable alike to cars having one direction of motion only, as Well as cars in which the line of motion is reversed at each terminus of a route; and consists in a hinged frame carrying the operating mechanism, the journal ends of said frame being provided with yielding or exible bearings in which the axle of the drive-wheels revolves, to deaden and diminish the shocks to the operating mechanism when the wheels travel over uneven rails, or from any other cause. 1

The invention further consists in a peculiar arrangement of mechanism to wind up the spring by the forward motion of the car, and a novel mode of mounting or connecting such spring with a yielding or elastic connection,`

which will follow the motion of the spring as soon as the latter is fully Wound up, and automatically throw the winding mechanism out of gear, thusV preventing all danger of the breaking of said spring; and, lastly, the invention consists in certain details of arrangement and construction, Vas fully described hereinafter.

Y In the accompanying drawings, Figures l and 2 are a plan view and side elevation, respectively, showing the mechanism as applied to a car having but one direction of motion. Fig. 3 is a perspective view, showing the generalarrangement of mechanism as applied to cars having their line of motion reversed. Figs. 4 and`5 are top and bottom plan views, respectively; and Fig. 6, a vertical transverse section on line a: Fig. 4, of the same. Fig. 7` is a perspective view of the supportingframe. Fig. 8 is a longitudinal section of the pinionshaft D, and Fig. 9 is a section through the journal end of one ofthe arms of the supporting-frame. y j

A is a portionY of the body of the car under which the mechanism is located, and B is the hinged carrying or supporting frame, preferably made of metal, and consisting of a shelf or casing, B1, short uprights B2, therarms B3, and the girts or transverse braces B4. The up per and lower platesof the shelf or casing B1 are provided with suitable bearings b1, for the reception and passage of the vertical shaft G, and the transverse braces B'1 are similarly provided with bearings b4 for the'pinionshaft D, while one end of the arms or side pieces B3 j lic Washer, be, upon the axle A1, so as to re lieve the frame andV mechanism supported thereon from the eii'ect of theshocks imparted l thereto by the axle when the wheels A2 of the cartravel over uneven rails or meet with an l obstruction, as shown' by Fig. 9.

The other end of the arms B3 is pivoted or hinged to flanges b, bolted or otherwise se-- cured to the bottom of the car, or to one of `the transverse girts a', according to the location 'of the mechanism which is placed in front of the car when applied to cars having but one direction of motion, while ou cars having' two directions of motion, the mechanism is located between the axles of the drive-wheels, and in the latter case a slight modification of shifting mechanism isrequired to Operate the' devices from either end of the car.

Gis the vertical or spring shaft, which has its bearings in the frame B, and carries at its lower end a bevel-wheel, K, into which gear two bevel-pinions, M M1, loosely mounted on the counter-shaft D,which has its bearings in thetransverse braces B4 B4 of the frame B.

f'llns shaft D is of varying diameter, so as to form shoulders at d, to prevent the pinions M M1 from slipping out of gear with the wheel K.

M2 is another bevel-pinion, rigidly mounted -at one end of the shaft D, and gearing into a bevel-pinion, N or N1, loosely mounted on the axle A1 of the drive-wheels A2. When the` car has but one direction of motion one bevelpinion, M N, on shaft D and axle A1 is e m ployed, and in this case the pinion N is rigid- 2 y recaen 1y mounted on the axle A1 since the motion'of the latter is not reversed; but when this motion is reversed, as is the case in cars moving in both directions, the bevel-pinions N N1 must be loosely mounted upon said axle, and provided with suitable throwing-in and throwingout mechanism to actuate the bevel-wheel K when the line of motion ofthe car is reversed This shifting mechanism consists of a forked clutch-lever, n, grasping the grooved andenlarged hubs 'nl of the pinions N N1, said lever nA being pivoted or fulcrumed in a bracket, Bit, on one of the transverse braces B4 ofthe l'rame B, and of a connecting-rod, n2, which passes to the side of the car where it is locked in position in any convenient manner, to prevent the accidental shifting of the bevel-pinions or the shifting vmechanism being tampered with, such shifting being effected at each end ot' the line. y

0. is a clutch-coupling adapted to be shifted to and fro on the shaft D, to throw one or the other of the pinions M M1 in or out of gear with the bevel-wheel K. As the arrangement of this shifting mechanism varies slightly to eect a similar result, however, in both styles of car,I will first describe it as applied to a car moving in one direction only; and in this case the clutch-lever()1 passes directly from the clutch to the side of the car, and is there bent, as at o, to pass onto the platform where the driver stands7 the platform end beingconnected to any convenient arrangement of shiftinglever. O2 is Aa ratchet Wheel, rigidly mounted on the upper end of the vert-cal shaft C, which serves to lock the spring when Wound up by means of the pawl P held in the teeth of the ratchet by the spring p, the pawl P being connected to the bent portion o of the lever O1 by means of a link, p', or other suitable means, in such a manner as to permit the lever U1 to move out sufficiently to throw the coupling-sleeve out of gear with either bevelpinion M when the spring is fully wound up before actuating orthrowing the p awl out of gear vwith the ratchet-wheel U2.

. This is effected in the following manner: Y E is a spiral spring, located within a metallic casing, E2, to keep it free from dirt and.

dust, said spring-casing E .with its inclosed spring being mounted upon the shelf B1, bctween its upper and lower plates of the frame .The inner end eof the spring E is made-fast p ward and forward with the end elofthe spring E, which is connected to two coiled springs, EPEI, one end, f, of which is made fast near the eye jl of the rods F, while the other end, f2, of said spring is made fast to a bolt, or

preferably a swinging plate, G, the rods having free play or sliding freely in suitable apertures g in said plate G, which is hung from the bottom of the car, or from one of the transverse girts a at such an angle as to lie within the path of revolution of said spring E, and practically form a prolongation thereof.

It is evident that so soon as the spring is fully wound up by the forward motion ofthe car (the pinion N being then in gear with the bevel-wheel K by means of the shitting-rod 01) the outer end el of said spring E will fol- .low the motion of winding, the,yielding connection E E permitting such motion, and, with the end e', the lever G1 will be moved forward, and, carrying with it the bent or horizontal portion o of the clutch or shifting lever O1, will cause the latter to disengage the clutch O from the pinion M, which latter, be-

ing loosely mounted, will permit the shaft D to revolve freely without actuating the bevelwheel K; and when the car has stopped, and it is desired to give it a start by means of the motive spring lila-the lever O is pressed Afurther outward, to release the p awl from the ratchet-wheel and permit of the un winding of the spring E; and when the car is again in motion, the driver shifts the lever Olinward, to throw the pinion M into gear with thewheel K and rewind the spring E, which latter, when fully wound up, automatically shifts the lever 01 to throw the winding mechanism out of gear, as described. 1, v

When the mechanism is adapted to a car whose line of motion is reversed ateach end of the route, the shifting-rod 01 must be so arranged astopermit itsbeing operated from either end ofthe car,`and in this case the rod O1. runs longitudinally of the car from one end to the other, and is connected to a pivoted lever, H, passing in front of', or, preferably, through the platform of the car, the rod O1 having suitable bearings in depending ears B5 on that side of the frame B where the-rod is located, as it may be vlocated either at the right or left or in the center of the frame B, below the mechanism, as. plainly shown by Figs. 3, 4, 5, and 6. The rod O1 is provided with an arm, yOZ, connected to the clutchcoupling o1 and an arm', o3, connected to the lower end of theA plate G, as fully shown by Fig. 3. A third arm, o4, bent to form a loop, 05, or hook, passes up in front of theframeshelf B1 to lengage the pawl l?, said loop or hook o5 having sufficient play before carrying with'- it the pawl P in'its forward movement, to permit thepinion Mor M to be thrown out of gear with the'bevel-wheel K when the main spring E is fully wound up, and through its yielding connection pulls the plate G and arm o3 forward, and with it the shifting-rod O1 and clutch-arm 02, to effect this throwingbutof gear of the winding mechanisnnas described.

yIn Figs. l and 2 l have shown the shifting and locking mechanism on top of the platform; but in practice this is mounted and arranged on the frame B, as shown in Figs. 3, 4, 5, and` 6, to permit the mechanism and frame to yield to the vertical reciprocating motion of the car on its springs; and this may be arranged in various ways, according to the location of the mechanism-Fas, for instance, in Fig. 4 'the pawl is mounted on an ear or projection, B6, on the frame, and the arm o4, with its hooked end o5, passes up in front of the frame over the spring-casing; and in Fig. 5 the arm 04, with its hooked end o5, passes up near the outer end of the frame, while in Fig. 3 the pawl is mounted on the top plate of the frame itself; and as these are mere details of arrangement, governed only by the location of the mechanism under the car, I do not wish to limit myself to any particular location of shifting-rod and its connections.

Nor do I wish to limit myself to the use of the yielding connection with the mainspring in car-starters only, as it is evident that such a connection is applicable to almost all springmotors, especially watches and clocks, and similar mechanisms operated by spring-power. In such devices the end of the spring may carry suitable indicating devices to denote that the spring is fully wound up, instead of throwing the winding' mechanism out of gear, as above described. Another great advantage is obtained by this yielding connection with a mainspring-namely, the tension of such spring is more evenly distributed, and it is not liable to snap at the short coils, as is almost `invariably the case with such springs when wound up too rapidly or too tight, and in 'this manner forms a regulating or compensating device readily applicable to most spring-motors. The strength of the auxiliary springs should be equal, or nearly so, to that of the mainspring, and need not necessarily be a coiled or spi-ral spring, as any yielding connection to effect the desired piirpose will answer. I have here described and shown two coiled springs, E1 E1, instead of which one may be employed, if desired; but by employing two of such springs their resisting power to the mainspring E is more equally distributed.

Having now described my invention, what l. The combination, with the operating or starting mechanism, 'and one of the drivewheel axles, of the frame B, having arms B3 B3, one end of which is hinged to supports or hangers b, the other end being provided with flexible or yielding bearings b3 for said wheelaxle, all constructed and operating as and for the purposes specified.

2. In a spring-motor, a iiexible or yielding connection with one end of the main or motive spring', substantially as and for the purposes described. t

3. The mainspring E and its shaft G, in

combination' with an auxiliary spring or springs, substantially as and for the purpose specied.

4. The auxiliary spring or springs, in combination with the outer end of the mainspring (l, and a yielding bearing to permit .said auxiliary spring or springs to more readily follow the movement of the mainspring O, to operate the throwing out mechanism, substantially as described.

5. The winding mechanism, consisting of the bevel-pinion N or N1, loosely mounted on the wheel-axle, in combination with the bevel-pinion M or M1, and the bevel-pinion M2, mounted on the counter-shaft D, the bevelwheel K, shaft O, and spring F, and the yielding supporting-frame, all constructed and operatin g substantially as described.

6. rIhe winding mechanism above described, and suitable throwing-in and throwing-out out mechanism for the same, in combination with the main or motive spring and its yielding connection or auxiliary spring or springs, so arranged that'the mainspring, when fully wound up, will automatically throw the winding mechanism out of gear, substantially as described.

7. The winding mechanismabove described, the clutch-pulley O, shifting-rod O1, having arm o, the mainspring E, and its yielding connection, and the lever G1, all arranged, combined, and constructed to operate substantally as described, for the purpose specified.

8. The winding mechanism, the clutch-pulley O, and shifting-rod 01, and its connection o3, the plate G, auxiliary' springs E1 E1, and

the mainspring, and its shaft or arbor, all combined, constructed, and operating substantially as described, for the purpose speciiied.

9. The mainspring and its shaft, the windingV mechanism, the throwing-in and throwing-out mechanism above described, and the ratchet-wheel 02 and spring-pawlP p, all constructed and operating substantially as described, for the purpose specified.

l0. The reversinggear, consisting of the clutch-lever n n1, constructed as described, in combination with the bevel-pinion N or N1, the pinion M2, and bevel-pinion M or M1, the bevel-wheel K, and spring-shaftJ and spring E, all arranged, constructed, and operating substantially as and for the purposes specified.

11. The carrying-frame B, having a shelf or ledge, B1, in combination with the springcasing E2, and its inclosed spring and shaft C, and the winding and shifting mechanism, all constructed and operating as described.

l2. rEhe mainspring E, coiled springs E1, rods F, and swinging plate Gr, all combined and constructed to operate as set forth.

In witness that l claim the foregoingI have hereunto set my hand this 17th day of February, 1877.

JOHN SERENO VAN BELT, JR.

Witnesses:

HENRY ORTH, S. F. AUSTIN. 

